Photo credit: Philippines News
The Philippines has ordered about 20,000 foreign workers in mostly Chinese-owned gambling companies to leave the country within 60 days.
Asia Pacific Newsroom reports that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has banned Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators for alleged links to crimes, human trafficking, and financial scams. He gave the gaming regulator until the end of the year to shut the businesses down.
Mr Marcos gave the order in a State of the Nation address. Meanwhile, there is an ongoing government crackdown backed by Beijing, which has led to the shutting down of several sprawling complexes.
Thousands of Chinese, Vietnamese and other nationals, mostly from Southeast Asia, were legally recruited with promises of high salaries. However, they were later forced to work in dismal conditions and threatened with severe harm if they disobeyed orders or tried to escape.
The Immigration chief, Norman Tansingco, said foreign workers had 59 days to leave the country.
Benedict Hofmann, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime deputy regional representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, has said the ban was a “major step.”
